Mobile communication devices such as smartphones let people easily connect with family, friends, business acquaintances, and many others. People use their smartphones to receive calls, make calls, receive text messages, and send text messages. Exchanging calls and messages help people coordinate with others, manage appointments, manage schedules, receive important updates, and much more.
However, few things are more annoying than receiving unsolicited calls and text messages. Such communications can involve offers to sell extended warranties, promotions for reduced mortgage rates, lower credit card rates, marketing surveys, time-share sales, political advertisements, and other promotions. In some cases, the callers or message senders may attempt to deceive consumers into buying the offered products and services. For example, a caller may falsely give the impression a warranty is about to expire, announce that the person has won a prize, but must first pay a processing fee in order to claim the prize, falsely accuse the person of being delinquent on a payment—just to name a few examples.
The calls and messages may be received at inconvenient times such as during dinner or early morning hours. Further, users are often charged for the receipt of these unwanted communications. For example, the user's wireless carrier may charge the user for the receipt of a text message—regardless of whether or not the text message was an unsolicited advertisement. Calls that are answered may be added to the user's monthly calling minutes. Thus, there is a need to develop systems and techniques to block or allow certain categories of calls and messages.